Morocca-Tori

I’m always looking for inspiration in the kitchen. When it comes to regional cuisine, a classic dish can often inspire me to bend the rules. For example, I love Italian Chicken Cacciatore, with its tomatoes, garlic, onions and capers. The challenge for me was, its traditional breading always sat a little heavy. Why not lighten it up, leave the breading off, use Moroccan spices, chickpeas and feta? The result? Something similar, yet completely different in tone. Vegetarian? Leave out the chicken completely and replace it with roasted butternut squash or zucchini. The real focus is what the regional seasoning does in relation to everything else. The Moroccan or North African seasoning called Ras El Hanout (which means: “top of the shop”) can contain anywhere from 10-100 different spices. I’ve included my version of this savory spice combination. I highly recommend making it yourself, as you can easily control the heat. I’m hooked on it and keep finding different ways to use it. You can also find it manufactured by several companies like McCormick or the Teeny Tiny Spice Company. Served over rice, couscous or quinoa, with a simple side salad of mixed greens tossed with vinaigrette and you have a dinner that’s comes together quickly and is sure to please.